keeping it that way means folks you sent to washington have to do their jobs. the housing market is healing, but that could stall as folks are seeing smaller paychecks. >> with time running out, it sounds like conservatives may have to fight spending when raising the debt ceiling is the new fight in the new year. harris? >> mike, democrats say they know they need republican help to get this through. they are counting on a top republican to be a deal maker. who is that person? >> that's right. mitch mcconnell, the senate minority leader we just talked about moments ago, he had been keeping a low profile and allowing speaker john boehner to negotiate directly with the president of the united states. but now a number of democrats including white house officials believe mcconnell be key. >> we ar engaged in -- we are engaged in discussions, the majority leader and myself in the hopes that we can come forward as early as sunday and have a recommendation that i could make and the majority leader can make to his conference. >> sources say speaker boehner deferred to t